37 Things I Know for Sure! A Birthday Post

Blouse by H&M . Sequin Mini Skirt by Tashumbra

I've finally snapped out of my island haze(Jamaica was amazing!) to finally type out this late birthday post. I think naturally we tend to be more reflective as we take another trip around the sun and this past year I've been in a space of  realigning and really focusing on my mental health. 

Leading up to my actual birthday and of course to writing this post I've been pondering on the life lessons I've learned so far. So, I took a que from Mother O's book "What I Know for Sure" to list out(in no particular order of importance) what I know for sure! I definitely have commentary for each lesson but I didn't want to make a SUPER long post. I'm kinda thinking of doing separate posts for a few of these though and go deeper but we not going deep today! lol

1. It's OKAY to dream a new dream for your life. 

2. Give yourself time!

3. Social media is a lie: Everybody's stuntin'!

4. Contentment is a decision, not a feeling. 

5. Really, I mean really cultivate your relationships. 

6. Minding my business really is a peaceful lane. 

7. Say NO to struggle love, PERIODT!

8. Just block him sis! 

9. Travel. 

10. Do some things alone...

11. Progress Not Perfection. Just keep going...

12. Add Vitamin C to your skin regiman

13. AND Probiotics to your vitamins

14. "Thank you" is a great prayer!

15. Set financial goals and get that credit score up

16. Eliminate debt as soon as you can

17. Go on a Fast every now and then

18. Your mom was right. You'd be lucky to have 1 or 2 good friends!

19. Ask for help

20. Go for long walks. You'd be surprised at how better you'll feel!

21. Men who are interested, ACT interested!

22. Apologize when you are wrong

23. Be quiet when you are right

24. Loving yourself can prevent a lot of your problems. Start there!

25. Don't you EVER settle! EVER!

26. Your mental health is part of your health. Make self care a priority

27. Always bet on yourself

28. Show up and be your very black self!

29. You are forgiven

30. You are worthy

31. Simply just do your best

32. Say "No" to things you do not want to do. PERIOD

33. Use the DO NOT DISTURB option on your phone

34. Just be kind

35. You can love again

36. Your intuitions never lie! Trust your instincts

37. It'll be okay...It will. Just keep going...

Well, I'm knee deep into these thirties honey and as of now it feels really damn good! I'm taking life one day at a time and I'm truly grateful! God is the dopest and I confidently stand in the abundance of opportunity and grace. 

So let's talk below!

How do you like to spend your birthday? Do you celebrate big or more low key? Do you reflect?

What do you know for sure?

HOME DECOR: What I'm Currently Diggin'...

I've been in my new home for a few months now and while its pretty exciting I'm also a bit all over the place with how I want my home to look. However, I know for sure how I want it to feel...comfortable, airy, warm, modern and clean with a little bohemian flair and dope art work on the walls. Oh, and a touch of pink but not too girly! See my crazy dilemma?

Overall, I just want it to feel like me. While I can appreciate a beautifully decorated home I love walking into someone's space and it feeling just like them! After all, it's the details that can bring character into a home and I'm ALL about the details honey! Another MAJOR thing for me and in some ways a challenge is resisting the urge to donate my old, existing furniture and just starting anew!

ME: Throw everything away and start over!

BANK ACCOUNT & NEW MORTGAGE: Girl please!(Laughs all disrespectful-like at my hopes and dreams)

Sooo...while I don't totally hate the furniture that came with me from all my apartment living. There are a few things I plan to bring into the mix just to freshen things up a bit. 

1) Starting With... FRINGE!!!

Lately, I've been drawn to all things fringe. Especially rugs and pillows. Switching out pillows and adding a cool rug is the easiest way to give a room a new look. In my case, I plan on keeping my couch but pretty much replacing everything else so I'm starting with recovering some of the existing pillows and adding a few new ones. I've been eyeing a few in which I'll be sharing with you in a later post!

Inspiration from Image Via Pinterest

Coin Pillow Pouf -Urban Outfitters

Fringey Things with Embellishments

2) Bring in some...WARM TONES!!!

First off, the walls in my house are ALL grey. Seee!

Part of my Living Room

My Bedroom

I like them BUT it's a LOT of grey doubled with the fact that most my furniture is already a lot of  beige, black, ivory, etc..... I don't feel like painting them so I'm working with them until my soul says "Yes girl, get up and paint those walls a different color"!
I think bringing in some brown and rust tones will warm up the place and take away some of the coolness in the grey walls. Of course, mixing in some patterns and textures which instantly creates interest...

Inspiration from Instagram @mk.boho

3) Plants, Greenery, Nature!!!

My rule for decor is to always have something live in the house so one of my goals is to become a serious plant mama this year! I'm not sure if I have a green thumb but believe I have one deep down somewhere. With a little trial and error mixed with some google I think I can manage to figure this thing out!

Plants are always a great finishing touch to a room! Not only are they pretty visually but they have some pretty cool health benefits like reducing stress and improving productivity. Who doesn't need that??? Amen!

So, I expect to be plant shopping and I will most likely add a mix of live and faux plants

Inspiration from Image Via Pinterest


Well, that's what I'm currently diggin'! What current things are you diggin'?
What's your decorating style?

Let's chat!

xo, Tashumbra...

Gold Sparkly Manicure

Every now and then I get the urge to revisit a metallic nail polish. It took me FOREVER to find a polish that actually looks like a metal, lol! Of course Essie came through for the win with their mirror metallic line. I picked up the color Penny Talk which looks more like a cooper gold and I love it! The coverage is great in one coat and can stand alone without a clear top coat. However, for this manicure I wanted to add a glittery accent nail so I reached for Sally Hansen's Gem Crush polish in the color Big Money. Like Penny Talk this polish also has great coverage as it is not just a clear polish with a little glitter sprinkled in therefore you wouldn't need to pile on 100 coats! 

Overall, I'm pretty happy with how this manicure turned out and I'll definitely be adding these colors to my nail rotation. Maybe you'll try this look! 

Here's how I did it:

Step 1: You will need gold metallic polish, glitter polish, and top coat.

Step 2: A great manicure starts with clean nails that are buffed and filed to your desired shape.

Step 3: Paint one to two thin coats of gold polish. If using two coats, make sure to dry in between coats.

Step 4: Pick an accent nail and apply two coats of glitter polish. In my case, I applied three coats making sure that each coat dried completely.

Step 5: Repeat steps 3 & 4 to the other hand and seal all of your great polish work with a top coat. Wait until your nails dry and admire your good looking manicure! Fin!

FRIDAY ESSENTIAL: Blush

If you love pink like I do then you are definitely doing a happy dance this fall/winter season. Yes, the color that is a staple for Spring has decided to stick around for the cooler seasons. Blush, Rose, and Mauves are everywhere! I'm particularly loving seeing my "signature color"(catch my Steel Magnolias tease) in over sized coats, chunky duster sweaters and fun bomber jackets that are on trend this season.


Of course pink is ultra feminine and lets be honest...can be plain ol' "girly" but you don't have to go full on Barbie or Elle Woods to brave this color.

Reese Witherspoon as "Elle Woods" from movie Legally Blonde

While, I love some monochromatic looks like...

Jason Wu's pant suit and matching bag


Or Suki Waterhouse wearing Ralph & Russo Couture


I personally love seeing my beloved Blush combined with other colors like grey, black, burgundy, or olive.

Pairing comfy leggings and a belted vest or cardigan is simple way to chic!


Try a dusty pink with grey for a more muted look!



Or a crisp white shirt and skinny jeans with sneakers to keep it casual.


Bombers are the bomb! I'm especially digging the ones with the embroidery detail

Charlotte Russe Satin Embroidered Jacket

or how about the jackets that are mix of fabric textures!

Missguided Satin & Faux Suede Bomber Jacket

Since I've been crushing so hard on this color I have put together a look book of sorts featuring blushy pink outfits from my own closet. I cant wait to share those looks in an upcoming post so STAY TUNED!

In the meantime, lets get the conversation started! Are you digging all the pink this season? What ways are you rocking this color?

Let's get RAW!

Last Saturday, I had the pleasure of showcasing my line at one of the hottest art shows in the city- RAW Dallas!

RAW is an independent organization by artist, for artist. It provides indie artists an opportunity to showcase their talents ranging from visual art, film, fashion design, music, performance art, hair and makeup artistry, and photography. It is not your typical art show! Its loud, high energy and just a lot of different things going on all at one time! Its AWESOME!

Unfortunately, it was the farewell showcase for the Dallas market but I was super excited to be chosen to be part of the action!  I've been really enjoying designing and making handbags lately so for this show I  chose not to do runway and focus on just showcasing.

Thank you to everyone who hashtagged!

Check some highlight pics from the other great artists! The thing that makes this show so amazing is the diversity of art and artists!

The host kept the energy going all night! Loved their costuming!

                                                        Great Runway Presentations!

Makeup Artist Showcase

This particular artist showcase is most memorable to me because I remember how the audience responded to the art. It definitely held everyone's attention in a way where people were trying to draw their own meaning. What message was the artist trying to convey? It was very interesting and I wish I knew who the artist was to see what the inspiration was for his art.

I especially enjoyed ALL the performers! Dallas has SO much dope musical talent.

Special Effects body art and beautiful henna designs.

Shouts out to Three Masters Bonafide Bowties! So great to see that he is still at it!

Performance Art!

Your Royal Badness! I shot some video of myself way too hype over the brief Prince tribute but truthfully it was too embarrassing to post! LOL

I knew it was gonna happen! An onstage proposal....LOVE was definitely in the air!

Overall, I couldn't have asked for a better experience. It was everything I knew it was gonna be and more! So grateful to have been part of a great show. Thank you to everyone who came to support the show!